Brandon Clouse

Hi, I'm Larry Pershing, CFP® RMA®, a flat fee financial advisor. I focus on helping people age 55+ with their retirement planning and investment management needs for a FLAT fee. Having worked in various wealth management firms in my career, I was surprised to discover many firms try to service everyone, which leads them to being average for all. Some are more concerned with amassing client assets than providing customized recommendations. I started Optimum Retirement Planning because I saw a need for specialists to help clients navigate the complex and challenging financial aspects of retirement. Our offering is different. We don’t work with everyone. We specialize in helping those who are close to and in retirement. We apply the latest financial research for retirement to help answer your complex financial questions. Optimum Retirement Planning is a flat fee financial advisor. This means we charge differently than most financial advisors. We offer retirement planning and investment management for a flat fee. For too long retirees have been overpaying for financial advice due to large commissions and/or being charged a percentage of their assets. When I’m not in the office, I’m on a tennis court, reading a book (finance or science fiction), or spending time with family and friends. I also volunteer for AARP sponsored events that help seniors receive complimentary financial advice. While I live in Chicago, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I return often, especially during winter. You can take the guy out of California, but you can’t take the California out of the guy!

Michelle Place is a Wealth Management Advisor and principal of The Place Wealth Management Group based in Northbrook, Illinois. She began her career in the investment industry in 2007 with Morgan Stanley Asset Management and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor in 2010. Michelle focuses on serving high net worth individuals and families, providing guidance in areas such as executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, philanthropic planning, portfolio management, small business strategies, and tax minimization. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin System and has completed an Accredited Certificate Program at the University of Chicago. Michelle is a Certified Financial Planner® professional, a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, and a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™. Her team's mission is to deliver confidence and peace of mind to clients by managing the complex aspects of their financial lives with enduring value. Outside of her professional work, Michelle's personal interests include dancing, ice skating, pickleball, yoga, and spending time with her family.

Eric Thonn is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in helping equity-compensated executives and business owners simplify their financial lives by addressing complex planning needs. His approach involves building long-term client relationships through consultative, tailored, and comprehensive strategies focused on multi-generational wealth transfer aligned with clients’ values and aspirations. Eric’s expertise includes long-term wealth strategy, equity compensation, business optimization, college education planning, executive compensation, family wealth management, legacy planning, retirement income, portfolio management, small business strategies, and tax minimization. He holds the title of Senior Portfolio Advisor at Merrill, managing discretionary custom investment strategies to support client objectives. He began his financial services career in 2014 with State Farm and has served as a Financial Advisor with Merrill since 2018. Eric earned a Bachelor’s degree in financial planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Outside of his professional role, Eric volunteers as a mentor for young adults with Erie Neighborhood House. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Amy, and their dog, Chloe, engaging in activities such as golf, basketball, cooking, and attending concerts.

Blair Chozen is a Vice President Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role held since 2023. Blair has been with Fidelity Investments since 2011, progressing through various positions including Financial Consultant, Investment Consultant, Investment Solutions Representative, High Opportunity Financial Representative, and Tax Exempt Customer Service Associate. Blair is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Practitioner with a focus on wealth planning. Blair emphasizes listening and asking pertinent questions to understand clients' needs and uses Fidelity's resources to help clients explore financial strategies tailored to their circumstances and potential consequences. This approach aims to educate clients and empower them to make informed financial decisions. Outside of professional commitments, Blair has personal interests that include art, food, football, gardening, music, and pets.

Rob Kubik is an Executive Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been serving since 2025. Prior to this role, he worked as a Benefits & Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2021 to 2025, and as a Financial Consultant at the same firm from 2016 to 2021. Before joining Fidelity Investments, Rob was a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones from 2014 to 2016. Rob specializes in helping clients maximize their workplace benefits, build wealth, and plan for retirement with a focus on tax-efficient investing. He employs a holistic approach to financial planning, aiming to create intentional and well-structured financial strategies. [No information was provided regarding Rob's education, credentials, personal interests, or community involvement.]

Samuel Bachelor serves as a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with clients to understand their financial priorities and develop strategies aimed at pursuing their short-, mid-, and long-term goals. He provides guidance on various financial matters including investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unexpected expenses, while also connecting clients to Bank of America specialists for services in banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. With expertise in managing complex financial situations, Samuel works one-on-one with clients to define their goals and create portfolio strategies tailored to achieve them. He offers ongoing advice and adjusts financial plans as clients' circumstances evolve. Samuel holds a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a Bachelor's Degree from Case Western Reserve University. He is fluent in both Arabic and English.